Compare towns
Auburn vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most homeowners (79.6%).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Auburn | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 16,970Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Salem |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.